Berri responds to calls to shorten parliament’s term with the remark: "Maybe they think they can add a few MPs"

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri stressed that the priority at the current stage lies in reaching a genuine solution that preserves Lebanon’s rights and sovereignty, expressing hope that President Joseph Aoun’s visit to Washington and his meeting with US President Donald Trump would yield positive and serious results, regardless of the source of the solution or the path it takes.

Berri explained that President Aoun had contacted him before heading to the United States to consult on the foundations of the Lebanese position, stressing the need to adhere to basic constants, foremost among them consolidating the ceasefire and ensuring a full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories in the south.

Commenting on the US-Iranian escalation and the possibility of a widening confrontation, Berri said that what is taking place in the region effectively constitutes a form of war, asking: "What is happening now, if not war?"

On the controversy over the obstruction of the passage of a number of laws during the latest legislative session, Berri rejected holding him or the "Shiite duo" responsible for what happened. He revealed that contacts and consultations had taken place behind the scenes by his political aide, MP Ali Hassan Khalil, and Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, with the aim of securing consensus on a number of files, including the amnesty law, before the withdrawal of some MPs led to the loss of quorum.

Responding to the Lebanese Forces’ call to shorten the term of the current parliament and hold early elections, Berri commented sarcastically: "Maybe they think they can add a few MPs."

On the sporting front, Berri noted that he had supported the Spanish national team during the World Cup, pointing out that his choice was made in appreciation of the Spaniards’ positions, whether at the political level or through their participation in the UNIFIL forces operating in southern Lebanon.